NF_TACF_MayJune-2011_Cover.indd 24 6/21/11 6:22 AM The American Chestnut Foundation 28th Annual Meeting October 21-23, 2011 Beaver Hollow Conference Center Java Center, New York www.beaverhollow.com Beaver Hollow Conference Center is nestled on 300 wooded acres with a private, spring-fed lake. It is located just 45 minutes from the Buffalo Niagara International Airport and showcases the beauty of New York in all of its autumn glory. Meeting Registration - $180 (does not include lodging) Includes · Friday Night Welcome Reception · Saturday Night Dinner and Awards Program · Access to all Workshops · All Meals Day Pass - Saturday ($65) or Sunday ($45) Includes · All Workshops · Breakfast and Lunch Day passes do NOT include Friday Night Welcome Reception or Saturday Night Dinner and Awards Program Tickets can be purchased separately for the following events: Friday Night Welcome Reception: $35 Saturday Night Dinner and Awards Program: $35 Room rates start at $150 per night For reservations call: 1-800-964-7903 NF_TACF_May_June-2011_2-3.indd 2 6/22/11 9:28 AM The American Chestnut Foundation THE AMERICAN CHESTNUT FOUNDATION th 28 Annual Meeting Board of Directors Chairman Secretary Glen Rea, ME Essie Burnworth, MD October 21-23, 2011 Vice Chair, Science Legal Counsel Dr. Kim Steiner, PA Donald Willeke, Esq., MN Vice Chair, Development Science Director Beaver Hollow Conference Center Carolyn Hill, GA Dr. Albert Ellingboe, WI Treasurer President & CEO Steve Barilovits III, NC (non-voting) Java Center, New York Bryan Burhans www.beaverhollow.com William Adamsen, CT Rex Mann, KY Dr. Gary Carver, MD Bryant Marsh II, IN Dr. J. Hill Craddock, TN Dr. Brian C. McCarthy, OH The Mission of The American Chestnut Foundation Herb Darling, NY James O. Mills, TN Tim Eck, PA Joe Nicholson, GA he mission of THE AMERICAN CHESTNUT FOUNDATION is to Yvonne Federowicz, MA Tim Phelps, TN restore the American chestnut tree to its native range within the Sean Fisher, TN Mac Phillippi, AL woodlands of the eastern United States, using a scientific research and breeding program developed by its founders. The American Lynn Garrison, KY John Scrivani, VA Chestnut Foundation is restoring a species - and in the process, creat- Doug Gillis, NC Dr. Paul Sisco, NC ing a template for restoration of other tree and plant species. Hugh Irwin, NC Bradford Stanback, NC Beaver Hollow Conference Center is nestled on 300 wooded acres with a private, Dr. Joseph B. James, SC George ompson, VA We harvested our first potentially blight-resistant nuts in 2005, and the Foundation T Grace Knight, VT Run Van Bossuyt ,MA is beginning reforestation trials with potentially blight-resistant American-type trees. spring-fed lake. It is located just 45 minutes from the Buffalo Niagara International Dr. William Lord, PA Bruce Wakeland, IN The return of the American chestnut to its former range in the Appalachian hardwood Airport and showcases the beauty of New York in all of its autumn glory. forest ecosystem is a major restoration project that requires a multi-faceted effort involv- Dr. William MacDonald, WV Richard S. Will, TX ing 6,000 members and volunteers, research, sustained funding and most important, a Honorary Directors sense of the past and a hope for the future. Meeting Registration - $180 (does not include lodging) e Honorable Mrs. Mary Belle Price James Earl Carter Includes Dr. Peter H. Raven Dr. Richard A. Jaynes · Friday Night Welcome Reception Mr. Philip A. Rutter · Saturday Night Dinner and Awards Program Production Staff · Access to all Workshops Doug Howlett James Powell · All Meals Editorial Director Editor Je Hughes Paul Franklin Managing Editor Day Pass - Saturday ($65) or Sunday ($45) Art Director TACF Locations & Staff Includes TACF National O ce 160 Zillicoa Street, Suite D · All Workshops Asheville, NC 28801 (828) 281-0047 · Breakfast and Lunch Bryan Burhans, President and CEO Judy Antaramian, Administrative Assistant Day passes do NOT include Friday Night Welcome Reception or Saturday Night Dinner and Awards Program Betsy Gamber, V.P. of Operations Paul Franklin, Director of Communications Tickets can be purchased separately for the following events: Dennis Kimball, Sta Accountant Lisa Sousa, Director of Grants and Agreements Friday Night Welcome Reception: $35 Marshal Case, President Emeritus Saturday Night Dinner and Awards Program: $35 Meadowview Mid-Atlantic Regional O ce Research Farms Virginia Dept. of Forestry 9010 Hawthorne Dr Central O ce Meadowview, VA 24361-3349 900 Natural Resources Dr. (276) 944-4631 Charlottesville, VA 22903 Dr. Fred Hebard, Chief Scientist, (434) 906-9312 David Bevins, Research Techni- Katy McCune, Room rates start at $150 per night cian, Robert Caudell, Technician, Regional Science Coordinator Danny Honaker, Farmer; George Sykes, Farmer North Central Regional O ce School of Forest Resources New England Regional O ce 206 Forest Resources Lab USFS Northern University Park, PA 16802 Research Station (814) 863-7192 705 Spear Street Sara Fitzsimmons, Northern South Burlington, VT 05403 Appalachian Regional About Our Cover Photo: (802) 999-8706 Science Coordinator Kendra Gurney, New England Mark Banker, Director of Clint Neel performs a Father Tree pollination at the Price Orchard at Meadowview Regional Science Coordinator Development Farm, using pollen from southern trees. e resulting nuts were planted in several or- Southern Regional O ce chards in the southern region. An article on controlled pollination appears on page 19. Department of Biology & Environmental Services 615 McCallie Ave, Holt Hall 215, Chattanooga, TN 37403 William White, Southern Appalachian Regional Science Coordinator Phone: (423) 906-8706 WWW.ACF.ORG | THE JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHESTNUT FOUNDATION 3 NF_TACF_May_June-2011_2-3.indd 3 6/21/11 5:52 AM TABLE OF CONTENTS 9 Inside This Issue: Letter from TACF Chairman, Glen Rea 5 Charting the Course – the Power of Volunteers News from The American Chestnut Foundation 6 The Latest News from Chestnut Country Bryan Burhans 10 8TACF’s Heroes – Volunteer Orchard Managers TACF Chapter Focus 9Alabama Builds Relationships for Restoration Inoculating Chestnuts with Chestnut Blight 10 Testing our Trees for Resistance to Blight American Chestnut Learning Box 12 It was a Big Hit at the Annual Meeting, So What Comes Next? Giving the Ozark Chinquapin its Due 17 14 New Foundation Works to Bring Back this Nearly Forgotten Tree Forest Inventory and Analysis 17 Where Does the Chestnut Stand Today? Controlled Pollination for Blight Resistance 19 Hand Pollination of Chestnuts is an Art and a Science The Ozark Chinquapin 21 Origin of a Species 21 Cooking With Chestnuts 23 Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Chestnuts 4 THE JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHESTNUT FOUNDATION | MAY/JUNE 2011 NF_TACF_MayJune-2011_4-TOC.indd 4 6/21/11 11:44 AM LETTER FROM THE CHAIRMAN Charting Our Course - The Power of Volunteers by TACF Chairman Glen Rea he word “restoration” has become to TACF for inclusion in the planning the buzzword for e American process and I want to reiterate that we Chestnut Foundation (TACF) are taking a very “ground up” approach over the past 28 years. While it to the development of this nal restora- means many di erent things to tion plan. many dierent people, restora- We want you to be involved in this tion is, and always will be dened for me as very important planning process. By TTACF’s sole mission. Today, restoration has sending your ideas, questions and even taken on a new meaning – ACTION. concerns to any of the regional science TACF recently began the restoration planning coordinators, you will become part of process by hosting four regionally-based work- a plan that has been 28 years in the shops to develop a way to collect information, making. is is an inclusive process suggestions and associated questions about that will someday result in our forests TACF Chairman restoration from our members and partners. being lled with that mighty giant—the Amer- Glen Rea e ideas and suggestions that come from these ican chestnut tree. workshops will help lead us toward developing a comprehensive restoration plan for the Amer- Go to www.acf.org and click on “Regional ican chestnut. is process has been designed Restoration Planning Workshops”. to ensure a bottom-up approach so that we can fully consider the comments and recommenda- tions of our partners and any of our members who want to contribute to the process. In addition to the workshops recently com- pleted, TACF will sponsor three more techni- cal workshops to gather ideas and suggestions regarding our restoration plan. ese techni- cal workshops include: Breeding and Testing, Development and Business, and Reintroduc- tion and Ecology. ese technical workshops will gather input from speci c experts to help us develop a plan based on the best available science. Our foundation was established with the idea that our members are the single most im- portant factor in achieving our mission. “Take care of the volunteer, and they will take care of the mission.” e development of this restora- tion plan follows the same path—this is an inclusive planning process and everyone has a chance to participate. If you were not able to attend any of the four workshops, I would en- courage you to take a look at the rst draf t of the restoration plan on our website (www.acf. org) along with other relevant information about the planning process. ere is still time to provide input and written recommendations WWW.ACF.ORG | THE JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHESTNUT FOUNDATION 5 NF_TACF_MayJune-2011_5_Chairman Page.indd 5 6/21/11 5:56 AM NEWS FROM THE AMERICAN CHESTNUT FOUNDATION News From TACF DNA Analysis May Help in Breeding James developed a screening protocol to select Root-Rot Resistant Chestnut Trees hybrids that are resistant to both root rot and How many genes from Chinese chestnut chestnut blight.